Kiwi Lives campaign
Problem gambling has significant health, social and economic implications for New Zealanders. It causes families to break up, kids to go hungry and businesses to fail. It brings with it debt, crime, violence and despair.
The TV ads:
Kiwi Lives part 2
Using three real stories, part two of Kiwi Lives highlights the devastating impact of gambling on an individual and on a family, and gives an example of what one community has achieved.
An individual's story: Lynette
Lynette describes how she had a typical middle class upbringing – brought up in a nice suburb, attended a nice school – but problem gambling robbed her of everything – her home, her job, and her self-respect.
Read Lynette’s story.
Problem Gambling TVC 'Lynette' (English, 30 seconds)
A family story: Thomas and Denise
Denise tells how problem gambling by her husband Thomas devastated their family – he destroyed relationships, made promises that were not kept, and stole money from his children’s piggy banks.
Read Denise and Thomas’ story
Problem Gambling TVC 'Denise and Thomas' (English, 30 seconds)
A community story: The Otara Action Group
The Otara Action group gives an example of lobbying their local council to stop any new pokies being introduced to Manukau – and the council agreed. Manukau now has a sinking lid policy on pokie machines.
Read the Otara Action Group’s story.
Problem Gambling TVC 'Otara Action Group' (English, 30 seconds)
Kiwi Lives part 1
In April 2007 the HSC launched Kiwi Lives part 1, which aimed to get New Zealanders thinking and talking about problem gambling and actions they could take to minimise and prevent the harm it causes – as individuals, as families, and as communities.
Problem Gambling TVC 'We all lose' (English, 30 seconds)
Problem Gambling TVC 'We all lose' (Te Reo Maori, 30 seconds)
Campaign Background
The HSC’s Kiwi Lives campaign is part of the Ministry of Health’s strategy for Preventing and Minimising Gambling Harm. It is one of a number of activities that aim to strengthen New Zealanders’ understanding and awareness of, and response to, the far reaching impacts of gambling. The original campaign ('Kiwi Lives 1') ran in April 2007 and has recently being complemented by the Kiwi Lives 2 campaign.
Using three real stories part two of the Kiwi Lives highlights the devastating impact of gambling on an individual (Lynette) and on a family (Denise and Thomas), and gives an example of what one community has achieved (Manukau and its ‘sinking lid’ policy on pokie machines).
The Kiwi Lives 2 campaign uses the catch phrase “Together we can make it right”, and the real life stories, to:
- reinforce the themes of Kiwi Lives 1 - that problem gambling is not just an individual problem, but one that affects us all
- show how and why it is a problem
- suggest that individuals, families and communities can do something about it
- prompt use of the 0800 number and website for help and/or information.
Evaluation of the campaign
Results from research on the impact of Kiwi Lives 1 showed that people understood the message that many New Zealanders are affected by gambling but they wanted more information about the specific harms of gambling and a better idea of what they could do. The Kiwi Lives 2 campaign is a response to this.